Five years ago Drumfire was proud to release the Darts studio albums on Cd format for the very first time. Those CDs have now sold out, so Drumfire has collaborated with the record company Demon Music Group to release this boxset on the Edsel label.This six CD set includes all three albums recorded for Magnet Records as well as all the singles and b-sides.Includes the planned fourth album ‘Frantic Antics’ which was never released but featured the hit singles ‘Let’s Hang On’ and ‘Peaches & Cream’ Plus bonus disc of 24 rare and mostly unreleased studio quality recordings all from the hey-day of the band. This represents an absolute treasure trove for fans, as it not only includes favourites from their live shows that were never released as studio recordings, but also lots of songs never heard before . The set also includes all the band’s post-Magnet/Warners recordings released on the band’s own ‘Choice Cuts’ label. Previously only available as vinyl singles, now for the very first time on CD and supplemented with yet more unreleased recordings.Incudes a 36 page booklet with extensive liner notes including interview contributions from the key members of Darts.

TRACK-LISTING
Daddy Cool/The Girl Can’t Help It
Young Blood
Too Hot In The Kitchen
Sometime Lately
Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart
Shotgun
Come Back My Love (album version 1st time on CD)
Bells In My Heart
Sh-Boom (Life Could Be A Dream)
Stay Away (From Them Girls)
I’m Mad/Fancy Man/Framed/Riot In Cell
Block No.9/Trouble
Bonus tracks
Naff Off (b-side)
Just Walkin’ In The Rain (previously unreleased studio recording)
One Way Love (demo)
Jail Bait (demo)
Late For Work (demo)
Why I Cry (demo)

TRACK-LISTING
The Boy From New York City
Honey Love
My Friend’s Wife
It’s Raining
Make It
Hammy’s Boogie
Who’s That Knocking?
My True Story
Late For Work
Bones
Late Last Night
I Gotta Go Home
Why I Cry
Bonus tracks:
14. Messing Shoe Blues (b-side)
15. Don’t Let It Fade Away (non-album single)
16. Early In The Morning (b-side – first time on CD)
17. Get It (non-album single)
18. How Many Nights (b-side – first time on CD)

TRACK-LISTING
Duke Of Earl
Runaround
Don’t Say Yes
Cuckoo
One Off The Wrists
Cool Jerk
Don’t Hang Up
Honey Bee
Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love
Reet Petite
Don’t Mess Around With Love
Don’t Look Back
This Is The Night
Goodbye Brenda
Bonus tracks:
Let’s Hang On (non-album single)
Cairoli (b-side – first time on CD)
I’ve Got To Have My Way (b-side – first time on CD)
White Christmas (non-album single)
Sing Out The Old, Bring In The New (previously unreleased studio recording)

TRACK-LISTING
Daddy Cool / The Girl Can’t Help It
Bells In My Heart
Sh-Boom (Life Could Be A Dream)
Late Last Night
Bones
Stay Away (From Them Girls)
My Friend’s Wife
Come Back My Love
Hammy’s Boogie
I’m Mad / Fancy Man / Framed / Riot In Cell Block No.9 / Trouble
The Boy From New York City
Who’s That Knocking?
Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart
Sometime Lately
It’s Raining
Shotgun
Messing Shoe Blues
Naff Off
Make It
I Gotta Go Home

DARTS

Darts were a nine-strong, energetic doo-wop group whose brand of visual excitement and tight harmonies earned them rave reviews wherever they played. They had a string of chart hits in the late seventies and early eighties and were one of the hardest working bands of that period. During their time on Magnet RecordsThey spent 117 weeks in the UK singles charts, 57 weeks in the album charts and were awarded two silver and three gold singles, plus three gold and on platinum album. In 1978 Darts sold more concert tickets in the UK than any other artist.The band that time forgot? You had to be there. If you were not there you may have looked back and seen Darts as a rock’n’roll novelty act, a pastiche, or, god forbid, ‘a bit like Showaddywaddy’. This couldn’t be further from the truth, there was so much more to it than that. Darts were cool and successful. From a pub rock, authentic Doo Wop and Blues pedigree, it was definitely OK to be into Darts. Gig goers might go to see Sex Pistols, Stranglers, Buzzcocks or Costello one week, and Darts the next. NME loved them, and the tabloids ran stories of rock-star misbehaviour and arrests. And it wasn’t all about obvious cover versions either. Over half the songs Darts recorded were penned by members of the band, and those songs blended in seamlessly with the carefully chosen covers – often of more obscure R’n’B and Doo Wop tracks. The energy and rowdy fun of the band is more reminiscent perhaps of Madness than the aforementioned rock’n’rollers.

Unbelievably despite the massive chart success and millions of sales, these Darts LPs have never been released as stand alone CDs. There are a just couple of compilations that have come to market, but everyone who loved Darts back in the day will welcome the release of each of these albums.Darts got back together a couple of years ago after decades and have played an number of dates, and discovered the spark is still there. The band have been involved in putting together these reissues. Liner notes are by bassist Thump Thomson. Bonus tracks include a number of tracks from singles and b-sides that have never made it to CD before, ‘Come Back My Love’ is on CD for the first time in its original album length, and from the vaults a number of demos and previously unheard songs have been unearthed.

Drumfire Records is delighted to present its very first releases: all three of Darts studio albums for Magnet Records as well as ‘The Amazing Darts’ –the band’s bestselling LP which brought together tracks form the first two albums plus singles tracks for a push in the Christmas market of 1978.

“The only time I genuinely ever saw naked sex, drugs and rock’n’roll was with the Darts” Danny Baker

THE 'AMAZING DARTS' WEBSITE

http://amazingdarts.com/index.htmlThe website amazingdarts.com has been the place to find out all Darts news for years - biography, discography, pictures, news aand more...You can also buy the DVD 'A Band Called Darts' via mail-order from this site. Featuring fans Mark Lamarr and Danny Baker. Trailer here...